Fifty seven percent of the world's population, some 4.2 billion people, reside in places without internet access. Consequently, these areas also have no or limited infrastructure to deploy Internet of Things (IoT) devices/sensors. Numerous companies are racing to fill this communication gap and provide internet not only to those without internet but to also improve and provide additional options to those with internet access.
SpaceX® outlined a plan to launch a high-speed, reliable and affordable broadband internet to users in the U.S. and around the world using a network of 4,425 internet-beaming satellites at a cost of US $10 billion.
OneWeb®, formerly known as WorldVu™, proposes to deploy a constellation of approximately 648 satellites which are expected to provide global Internet broadband service to individual consumers as early as 2019. The system is planned to operate in the Ku band (both for transmitting and receiving). Most of the capacity of the initial 648 satellites has been sold, and OneWeb® is considering nearly quadrupling the size of the satellite constellation by adding 1,972 additional satellites, each satellite with a cost of less than US$500,000.
Facebook® outlined a plan to provide internet services to remote areas using a large scale drone deployment, code name Aquilas. The drones would fly at an altitude of 60,000 to 90,000 feet. This system is envisioned to comprise thousands of internet-beaming drones capable of communicating with end devices, ground stations, and with each other.
Google® has two parallel efforts underway with a similar goal of delivering high speed internet access. Project Skybender™, is based on high altitude drones while project Loon™ aims to deliver internet connectivity via high-altitude balloons as a basis for the infrastructure.